Workpiece carrier for transporting and/or storing components of drug delivery devices

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a workpiece carrier for transporting and/or storing components of a drug delivery device, comprising: an array of accommodating recesses extending in a first lateral plane (x, y) and being adapted to receive at least one component of the drug delivery device, at least one stack forming structure adapted to mate with a corresponding stack forming structure of another workpiece carrier for mutually aligning workpiece carriers when stacked on one another, wherein the center of the at least one stack forming structure is arranged laterally offset with respect to the center of the array of accommodating recesses in at least one lateral direction, and wherein the stack forming structure comprises a surrounding edge comprising at least in sections a corrugated or undulated structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/696,839, filed Mar. 20, 2013, which is a U.S. National PhaseApplication pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §371 of International application Ser.No. PCT/EP2011/057698 filed May 12, 2011, which claims priority toEuropean Patent Application No. 10162618.2 filed on May 12, 2010. Theentire disclosure contents of these applications are herewithincorporated by reference into the present application.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a workpiece carrier for transportingand/or storing components, in particular sub-assemblies of drug deliverydevices, such as pen-type injectors. Moreover, the invention alsorelates to a workpiece carrier assembly comprising a plurality ofworkpiece carriers stacked on one another and further refers to a methodof transporting or stacking numerous sub-assemblies for drug deliverydevices during manufacture and final assembly.

BACKGROUND

Drug delivery devices allowing for multiple dosing of a required dosageof a liquid medicinal product and further providing administration ofsuch liquid drug to a patient, are as such well-known in the prior art.Generally, such devices have substantially the same purpose as that ofan ordinary syringe.

Drug delivery devices of this kind have to meet a number of userspecific requirements. For instance in case of those with diabetes, manyusers will be physically infirm and may also have impaired vision.Therefore, these devices need to be robust in construction, yet easy touse, both in terms of the manipulation of the parts and understanding bya user of its operation. Further, the dose setting must be easy andunambiguous and where the device is to be disposable rather thanreusable, the device should be inexpensive to manufacture and easy todispose. In order to meet these requirements, the number of parts andsteps required to assemble the device and an overall number of materialtypes the device is made from have to be kept to a minimum.

Typically, the medicinal product to be administered is provided in acartridge having a moveable piston or bung mechanically interacting witha piston rod of a drive mechanism of the drug delivery device. Byapplying thrust to the piston in distal direction, a certain andpre-defined amount of the medicinal fluid is expelled from thecartridge.

Manufacturing and final assembling of such drug delivery devices isimplemented in a mass-production process. Typically, various componentsof the drug delivery device are manufactured and/or even pre-configuredby different suppliers. In particular with disposable devices, thecartridge containing the medicament has to be positioned in a respectivecartridge holder component prior to a final assembly of cartridge holderand body of the drug delivery device.

In a typical end-assembly scenario two sub-assemblies have to beassembled with each other. For instance, a first sub-assembly comprisesa cartridge holder and the cartridge disposed therein. The secondsub-assembly comprises a housing or body of the drug delivery devicecomprising a drive mechanism adapted to become operably engaged with themoveable piston of the cartridge either during assembly or prior to aninitial use of the device.

Since the final assembly is conducted almost entirely automatically, thesub-assemblies have to be provided in a well-defined and ordered way.Hence, the sub-assemblies have to be correctly oriented and disposed ona respective support structure.

Such support structures typically comprise a workpiece carrier ortransport tray which is adapted to receive a plurality of sub-assembliesand/or components of the drug delivery device.

Optimization of transportation in terms of required storage or shippingspace is a persistent aim for reducing costs of manufacture andlogistics in mass production processes.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved workpiececarrier for transporting and/or storing components of a drug deliverydevice that can be stacked on one another in a space saving way, both,when empty and/or when populated with drug delivery device components.Furthermore, the workpiece carrier should be robust and stable inconstruction as well as light weight and cost-efficient in production.

SUMMARY

The workpiece carrier according to the present invention is adapted fortransporting and/or storing components of a drug delivery device, suchas a cartridge holder sub-assembly and/or a body sub-assembly of a drugdelivery device that have to be provided to a fully-automatic assemblyline in a well-defined, ordered and oriented way. The workpiece carriertherefore comprises an array of accommodating recesses, wherein each ofthe recesses is adapted to receive a sub-assembly of the drug deliverydevice, e.g. a cartridge holder or a body component. The recesses arepreferably arranged regularly and/or equidistant in an array-like way,wherein the array extends in a lateral plane (x, y). The array extendsin two directions (x, y) and defines a support structure for holding andfixing components of the drug delivery at least during a final assemblyprocedure of the drug delivery device.

The workpiece carrier further comprises at least one stack formingstructure adapted to mate with a corresponding stack forming structureof another workpiece carrier for mutually aligning said workpiececarriers when stacked on one another. Stacking direction (z) preferablyextends perpendicular to the lateral plane (x, y). The stack formingstructure is in particular adapted and designed for mutually aligningstacked workpiece carriers at least with respect to their lateraldirection (x, y).

Preferably, the stack forming structure may also be adapted to definethe stacking height of the workpiece carriers. In this case, the stackforming structure extends in direction of the surface normal (z) of theplane of the array.

It is even conceivable that the stack forming structure is spaced fromthe array in the direction of the surface normal of its lateral plane.Hence, array and stack forming structure may extend in different lateralbut preferably parallel oriented planes.

The centres and/or outer outer margins of array and stack formingstructure are arranged laterally offset with respect to each other in atleast one lateral direction. By way of the lateral offset, the relativeposition and orientation of arrays of accommodating recesses ofworkpiece carriers being stacked on one another in differentorientations, also differs in a corresponding way.

The stack forming structure further comprises a surrounding edge or acircumferential frame that forms a lateral edge or border of theworkpiece carrier. Preferably, the surrounding edge comprises at leastin sections a corrugated or undulated structure. This way, workpiececarriers stacked on one another in a first configuration can be mutuallyfixed with respect to each other in the lateral plane (x, y). Moreover,also in a second configuration, wherein adjacently disposed and stackedworkpiece carriers are e.g. rotated by 180°, the corrugated or undulatedstructure of the surrounding edges of adjacently disposed workpiececarriers mutually match and serve to provide a lateral fixing means forthe stack of workpiece carriers.

Additionally, the undulated or corrugated structure provides enhancedrigidity and stiffness of the workpiece carrier itself Also, thecorrugations or undulations in the surrounding edge may further serve toguide and to align workpiece carriers of a stack of workpiece carriersin the lateral direction or lateral plan, extending perpendicular to thestacking direction.

The surrounding edge is further adapted to at least partially receive acorresponding surrounding edge of another workpiece carrier when said atleast two workpiece carriers are stacked on one another. Shape andgeometry of the surrounding edge is such, that identically shapeworkpiece carriers can be stacked on one another in at least twodifferent mutual orientations. Irrespective on whether the workpiececarriers are stacked on one another according to the first or secondorientation, the surrounding edges of first and second workpiececarriers mutually match and at least partially engage with each other.

The surrounding edge is typically designed as a circumferential frame,wherein an inward side wall section of the surrounding edge serves as areceptacle for an outer side wall of a corresponding surrounding edge ofanother workpiece carrier to be stacked thereon. This way, surroundingedges or circumferential frame portions of a stack of workpiece carrierscan be arranged in a nested and in at least partially overlapping way.

Preferably, the vertical dimensions of the accommodating recesses, thesurrounding edge and the position of support surfaces between theaccommodating recesses is chosen such, that even in the second stackconfiguration the surrounding edges of workpiece carriers stacked on oneanother at least partially overlap in the lateral plane (x, y).

Therefore, in a further embodiment the stack forming structure isadapted to enable stacking of workpiece carriers in at least twodifferent mutual orientations. The stack forming structure comprises aninternal structure allowing mutual engagement of stack formingstructures in different orientations with respect to each other.Preferably, the stack forming structure is at least mirror symmetrical.

Typically, outer and inner dimensions of the stack forming structuremutually match and provide a lateral fixing for workpiece carriersstacked on one another. Shape and geometry of the stack formingstructure is such, that identical workpiece carriers can be stacked onone another in at least two different mutual orientations formingdifferent stack configurations.

In a first configuration of at least first and second workpiececarriers, said first and second workpiece carriers are oriented in thesame way. In a second configuration, the second workpiece carrier isrotated with respect to the first workpiece carrier in the lateral planeby e.g. 90° or 180°. Since the array of accommodating recesses islaterally offset with respect to the stack forming structure, in saidsecond configuration, accommodating recesses of first and secondworkpiece carriers do no longer entirely overlap in the lateral planeand may therefore provide optimized and preferably enlarged storagevolume for the components of the drug delivery device.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the lateral offset of stackforming structure and array substantially equals half the distance ofadjacently arranged accommodating recesses. Preferably, theaccommodating recesses are arranged in a regular row- and column-wisemanner, wherein rows of accommodating recesses extend in one lateraldirection (x) and columns of accommodating recesses extend in the otherlateral direction (y). When the lateral offset substantially equals halfthe distance of adjacently arranged accommodating recesses, by stackingworkpiece carriers on one another in different mutual orientations,accommodating recesses of a first workpiece carrier will overlap withinterstices between accommodating recesses of a second workpiece carrieras seen in the lateral plane.

Consequently, by stacking workpiece carriers in different mutualorientations on one another, relative position of accommodating recessesof adjacently arranged workpiece carriers can be modified in at leastone lateral direction.

In a further preferred embodiment, the stack forming structure and thearray of accommodating recesses are arranged laterally offset in bothtransverse directions (x, y). The lateral offset can for instance bedefined as the lateral distance between the centre of the stack formingstructure and a corresponding centre of the array of accommodatingrecesses.

By having respective centres of array and stack forming structuredisplaced in both lateral directions, the position of accommodatingrecesses of workpiece carriers stacked on one another in differentmutual orientations varies with respect to both lateral directions (x,y).

In another preferred aspect, the accommodating recesses are regularlyspaced with respect to each other in both lateral directions (x, y). Inparticular, lateral distance of adjacently arranged accommodatingrecesses in x-direction is substantially identical to the distance ofthe adjacently arranged accommodating recesses in y-direction, whereinx- and y-direction are substantially perpendicular to each other.

In a further preferred aspect, each of the accommodating recessescomprises a tapered or conical pocket hole forming a protrusion at abottom side of the workpiece carrier. As seen from the top of theworkpiece carrier, the accommodating recesses are designed as adepression forming a protrusion on the opposite lower side of theworkpiece carrier. Furthermore, when workpiece carriers are stacked onone another in identical orientation, the array of accommodatingrecesses is adapted to receive an array of corresponding protrusions ofanother workpiece carrier stacked thereon. In this way, stacking heightof a stack of workpiece carriers can be reduced to a minimum whencorresponding accommodating recesses and protrusions are arranged in anat least partially nested way.

The accommodating recesses preferably extend in vertical direction withrespect to the plane of the workpiece carrier and its array ofaccommodating recesses. In particular when designed as a carrier forparts or sub-assemblies of e.g. pen-type injectors or similar medicaldevices, the various device components can arranged and stored in therecesses in an upright way. For instance, a sub-assembly or a housingcomponent of a drug delivery device may point in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the array ofaccommodating recesses.

In a further preferred embodiment, the array of accommodating recessescomprises a plurality of support surfaces arranged between adjacentlylocated accommodating recesses. The support surfaces are further adaptedto serve as a support for corresponding protrusions of another workpiececarrier stack thereon in a second orientation or configuration. By wayof the support surfaces of a lower workpiece carrier and the downwardpointing protrusion at a bottom side of another workpiece carrier, amutual abutment configuration can be attained, in which a particularcomponent of a drug delivery device, e.g. a sub-assembly such as acartridge holder can be positioned into an accommodating recess with alower part while its upper part extends between downward pointingprotrusion of another workpiece carrier stacked thereon.

This supports surfaces further allow to stack a plurality of workpiececarriers on top of each other in such a way, that the accommodatingrecesses formed therebetween are larger than the components to be storedtherein. In other words, by way of the support surfaces andcorresponding protrusions of an adjacently located workpiece carrier,even a stacked configuration can be attained without the necessity ofhaving a component of a drug delivery device arranged in or on theaccommodating recesses. Since the protrusions and support surfaces serveas mutually corresponding posts that get in direct contact with eachother even when workpiece carriers are arranged on top of each other,the stacking height of multiple workpiece carriers is only andexclusively governed by the geometry of the protrusions and theircorresponding support surfaces. This way, workpiece carriers can bestacked on top of each other in a stable way even when only partiallyfilled or loaded with components. The filling or storing status of theworkpiece carriers has therefore no influence on the stackingconfiguration or stacking height.

Preferably, the interstices between the protrusions at a bottom side ofthe workpiece carrier are adapted to receive an upper part of a drugdelivery component that is disposed in an accommodating recess of aworkpiece carrier disposed underneath.

Since the accommodating recesses comprise a tapered shape towards theirlower end section, the device components can be releasably securedtherein, e.g. by way of clamping.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, first and secondorientations of the workpiece carrier are transferable into each otherby a rotation of the workpiece carrier by 180° in the lateral plane.Hence, the workpiece carrier has to be rotated around its surfacenormal, preferably with respect to the centre of the at least one stackforming structure.

In the second configuration, in which every second workpiece carrier isrotated by substantially 180° with respect to its surface normal, thestacking height increases since downward pointing protrusions at abottom side of an upper workpiece carrier get in mutual abutment withinterstitial support surfaces of another workpiece carrier disposedunderneath. In this configuration, protrusions of an upper workpiececarrier substantially overlap with support surfaces arranged betweenaccommodating recesses of a lower workpiece carrier. Correspondingly,interstices between the downward pointing protrusions of the upperworkpiece carrier substantially overlap with accommodating recesses of alower workpiece carrier in a projection of the lateral plane (x, y).

According to a further preferred embodiment, the surrounding edge at itsupper end at least in sections comprises an outward extending flangeportion. The flange portion also provides enhanced stiffness andrigidity. Additionally, the outward extending upper flange portion mayprovide a support and an abutment means for workpiece carriers to bestacked thereon.

In a further preferred aspect, the flange portion almost entirelysurrounds the surrounding edge and comprises at least two grippingrecesses. Hence, the circumferential flange portion is interrupted orbroken by the at least two gripping recesses. By way of the grippingrecesses, a plurality of workpiece carriers can even be arranged next toeach other in configuration of a mutual lateral abutment. By way of thegripping recesses, a particular workpiece carrier can be gripped fromabove, since the gripping recesses provide access for a correspondinggripping tool to lift a particular workpiece carrier.

In a further preferred embodiment, the surrounding edge comprises atleast one outwardly extending projection having an inward directed ledgeat its lower end. This ledge is adapted to but against a flange portionof another workpiece stacked beneath in the first orientation orconfiguration. With mutually interacting and mutually abutting ledge andflange portions of an upper and lower workpiece carrier stacked ontoeach other in the first configuration, a minimum stacking height can beattained and disassembling of stacked workpiece carriers can befacilitated.

Otherwise, when a larger number of empty workpiece carriers is stackedon one another, the workpiece carriers may otherwise tend tofrictionally engage under the effect of e.g. gravitational forces.

In a further preferred embodiment, the workpiece carrier is made of athermoplastic material either by way of injection moulding or by way ofdeep-drawing and combinations thereof. Preferably, the die forming theaccommodating recesses is located at a lower position compared to adownward acting punch which in turn is adapted to draw the thermoformingmaterial over the die in a downward direction. Said deep-drawingconfiguration is such, that the die comprises upward facing protrusionsforming the accommodating recesses for the components of the drugdelivery device.

In a further preferred aspect, the workpiece carrier is at leastpartially equipped and populated with at least one sub-assembly of adrug delivery device. The sub-assembly comprises a housing component ofthe drug delivery device, such as a protective cap, a cartridge holderand/or a body component of the drug delivery device. Preferably, theworkpiece carrier is equipped with the sub-assembly of the drug deliverydevice accommodating a cartridge sealed by a moveable piston andcontaining a medicament to be dispensed by the drug delivery deviceafter its final assembly.

In another independent aspect, the invention further relates to aworkpiece carrier assembly comprising at least a first and a secondworkpiece carrier as described above. First and second workpiececarriers are of identical shape and geometry and they are stackable onone another in at least two different orientations with differentstacking height. In a further configuration, first and second workpiececarriers are oriented in the same direction allowing for a minimumstacking height when stacked on one another. In a second configuration,every second workpiece carrier is oriented differently with respect toits neighbouring workpiece carrier of a workpiece carrier stack.

In this configuration, downward pointing protrusions corresponding withaccommodating recesses of an upper workpiece carrier but against supportsurfaces of a lower workpiece carrier located between said carrier'saccommodating recesses. Hence, the stacking height will increase.However, in this configuration, the stacking height can be smaller thanthe size, in particular the vertical extension of the component of thedrug delivery device disposed in the accommodating recesses. Typically,the extension of the accommodating recesses is smaller than the verticalextension of the components to be disposed therein.

In the second configuration of the workpiece carrier assembly, the upperportion of the device component protruding upwardly from theaccommodating recess will be received by a mutually correspondinginterstice between downward pointing protrusions of an upper workpiececarrier.

In still another aspect, the invention also provides a method fortransporting and/or for storing numerous sub-assemblies of a drugdelivery device by making use of at least two workpiece carriers asdescribed above. Here, empty workpiece carriers are stacked on oneanother according to a first configuration, in which adjacently disposedworkpiece carriers are oriented in the same direction. During or afterpopulating the at least two or more workpiece carriers with numeroussub-assemblies of the drug delivery device, first and second workpiececarriers are stacked on one another in a second configuration byrotating every second workpiece carrier by substantially 180° withrespect to its surface normal, preferably with a centre of a stackforming structure, e.g. of a surrounding edge as axis of rotation.

In this way, package density for both, empty workpiece carriers as wellas for workpiece carriers populated with components of the drug deliverydevice can be increased.

The term “medicament”, as used herein, means a pharmaceuticalformulation containing at least one pharmaceutically active compound,

wherein in one embodiment the pharmaceutically active compound has amolecular weight up to 1500 Da and/or is a peptide, a proteine, apolysaccharide, a vaccine, a DNA, a RNA, a antibody, an enzyme, anantibody, a hormone or an oligonucleotide, or a mixture of theabove-mentioned pharmaceutically active compound,

wherein in a further embodiment the pharmaceutically active compound isuseful for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diabetes mellitus orcomplications associated with diabetes mellitus such as diabeticretinopathy, thromboembolism disorders such as deep vein or pulmonarythromboembolism, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), angina, myocardialinfarction, cancer, macular degeneration, inflammation, hay fever,atherosclerosis and/or rheumatoid arthritis,

wherein in a further embodiment the pharmaceutically active compoundcomprises at least one peptide for the treatment and/or prophylaxis ofdiabetes mellitus or complications associated with diabetes mellitussuch as diabetic retinopathy,

wherein in a further embodiment the pharmaceutically active compoundcomprises at least one human insulin or a human insulin analogue orderivative, glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) or an analogue or derivativethereof, or exedin-3 or exedin-4 or an analogue or derivative ofexedin-3 or exedin-4.

Insulin analogues are for example Gly(A21), Arg(B31), Arg(B32) humaninsulin; Lys(B3), Glu(B29) human insulin; Lys(B28), Pro(B29) humaninsulin; Asp(B28) human insulin; human insulin, wherein proline inposition B28 is replaced by Asp, Lys, Leu, Val or Ala and wherein inposition B29 Lys may be replaced by Pro; Ala(B26) human insulin;Des(B28-B30) human insulin; Des(B27) human insulin and Des(B30) humaninsulin.

Insulin derivates are for example B29-N-myristoyl-des(B30) humaninsulin; B29-N-palmitoyl-des(B30) human insulin; B29-N-myristoyl humaninsulin; B29-N-palmitoyl human insulin; B28-N-myristoyl LysB28ProB29human insulin; B28-N-palmitoyl-LysB28ProB29 human insulin;B30-N-myristoyl-ThrB29LysB30 human insulin; B30-N-palmitoyl-ThrB29LysB30human insulin; B29-N-(N-palmitoyl-Y-glutamyl)-des(B30) human insulin;B29-N-(N-lithocholyl-Y-glutamyl)-des(B30) human insulin;B29-N-(w-carboxyheptadecanoyl)-des(B30) human insulin andB29-N-(w-carboxyheptadecanoyl) human insulin.

Exendin-4 for example means Exendin-4(1-39), a peptide of the sequenceH-His-Gly-Glu-Gly-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-Leu-Ser-Lys-Gln-Met-Glu-Glu-Glu-Ala-Val-Arg-Leu-Phe-Ile-Glu-Trp-Leu-Lys-Asn-Gly-Gly-Pro-Ser-Ser-Gly-Ala-Pro-Pro-Pro-Ser-NH2.

Exendin-4 derivatives are for example selected from the following listof compounds:

-   H-(Lys)4-des Pro-36, des Pro37 Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-(Lys)5-des Pro-36, des Pro37 Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   des Pro-36 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Trp(O-2)25, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   Pro-36 [Trp(O2)25, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14 Trp(O2)25, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14 Trp(O2)25, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39); or-   des Pro-36 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Trp(O2)25, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14 Trp(O2)25, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   des Pro-36 [Met(O)14 Trp(O2)25, IsoAsp28] Exendin-4(1-39),-   wherein the group-Lys6-NH2 may be bound to the C-terminus of the    Exendin-4 derivative;-   or an Exendin-4 derivative of the sequence-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-Lys6-NH2,-   des Asp28Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro38 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-Lys6-NH2,-   H-des Asp28Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25] Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, Asp28] Exendin-4(1-39)-Lys6-NH2,-   des Met(O)14 Asp28 Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-desPro36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36 , Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5 des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-Lys6-des Pro-36 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-Lys6-NH2,-   H-des Asp28Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-NH2,-   des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-(Lys)6-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(S1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2,-   H-Asn-(Glu)5-des Pro-36, Pro37, Pro38 [Met(O)14, Trp(O2)25, Asp28]    Exendin-4(1-39)-(Lys)6-NH2;-   or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate of any one of the    afore-mentioned Exedin-4 derivative.

Hormones are for example hypophysis hormones or hypothalamus hormones orregulatory active peptides and their antagonists as listed in RoteListe, ed. 2008, Chapter 50, such as Gonadotropine (Follitropin,Lutropin, Choriongonadotropin, Menotropin), Somatropine (Somatropin),Desmopressin, Terlipressin, Gonadorelin, Triptorelin, Leuprorelin,Buserelin, Nafarelin, Goserelin.

A polysaccharide is for example a glucosaminoglycane, a hyaluronic acid,a heparin, a low molecular weight heparin or an ultra low molecularweight heparin or a derivative thereof, or a sulphated, e.g. apoly-sulphated form of the above-mentioned polysaccharides, and/or apharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. An example of apharmaceutically acceptable salt of a poly-sulphated low molecularweight heparin is enoxaparin sodium.

Pharmaceutically acceptable salts are for example acid addition saltsand basic salts. Acid addition salts are e.g. HCl or HBr salts. Basicsalts are e.g. salts having a cation selected from alkali or alkaline,e.g. Na+, or K+, or Ca2+, or an ammonium ion N+(R1)(R2)(R3)(R4), whereinR1 to R4 independently of each other mean: hydrogen, an optionallysubstituted C1-C6-alkyl group, an optionally substituted C2-C6-alkenylgroup, an optionally substituted C6-C10-aryl group, or an optionallysubstituted C6-C10-heteroaryl group. Further examples ofpharmaceutically acceptable salts are described in “Remington'sPharmaceutical Sciences” 17. ed. Alfonso R. Gennaro (Ed.), MarkPublishing Company, Easton, Pa., U.S.A., 1985 and in Encyclopedia ofPharmaceutical Technology.

Pharmaceutically acceptable solvates are for example hydrates.

It will be further apparent to those skilled in the pertinent art thatvarious modifications and variations can be made to the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Further, it is to be noted, that any reference signs used in theappended claims are not to be construed as limiting the scope of thepresent invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will bedescribed by making reference to the Figures in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cross section in the z-x-plane of a workpiece carrier ina first orientation and

FIG. 2 shows the workpiece carrier according to FIG. 1 in a rotated,second orientation,

FIG. 3 is schematically illustrative of a top view of the workpiececarrier,

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-section of two workpiece carriers stackedon one another in a first configuration,

FIG. 5 is illustrative of two workpiece carriers stacked on one anotherin a second configuration receiving a first sub-assembly of a drugdelivery device and

FIG. 6 shows another stack of two workpiece carriers supporting a secondsub-assembly of the drug delivery device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The workpiece carrier 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises anarray 12 of regularly row- and column-wise arranged accommodatingrecesses 14 which extend downwardly and form respective downwardpointing protrusion 20 at the bottom side of the respective workpiececarrier 10. The array of accommodating recesses 14 extends in a lateralplane (x, y) as illustrated in FIG. 3. Between adjacently locatedaccommodating recesses 14 a support surface 22 extends comprising aflattened shape. The support surface 20 is of substantially circularshape while the recesses 14 comprise a substantially hollow cylindricalstructure, preferably at least slightly conically converging or taperingtowards their lower free end 24.

The accommodating recesses 14, and their corresponding protrusion 20extending from the bottom side of the workpiece carrier 10 comprise aflattened or rounded free end 24. As further illustrated in FIG. 1, thesurrounding edge 16 serving as a stack forming structure comprises aleft side wall section 34 and a right side wall section 32, both ofcorrugated or undulated structure 18, 19. The surrounding edge 16 isfurther vertically displaced from the array 12 of accommodating recesses14.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the left side edge 34 of the surrounding edge16 is spaced apart from the centre of a first adjacently locatedaccommodating recess 14 by a first distance 6 whereas the right sideedge 32 is spaced apart from the centre of a corresponding outermostaccommodating recess 14 by a distance 8. The difference in the twodistances 6, 8 substantially equals half the distance between adjacentlydisposed recesses 14 in lateral direction (x). Even though notillustrated, the same applies for the other lateral direction (y).Hence, the array 12 of accommodating recesses 14 is laterally offsetwith respect to the surrounding edge 16, which becomes apparent by acomparison of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The workpiece carrier 10 according to FIG. 2 is rotated by 180° withrespect to the z-axis with the centre of the surrounding edge 16 as axisof rotation. Consequently, as illustrated by the vertical dotted line,surrounding edges 16 of the workpiece carriers 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 arealigned with each other, whereas the lateral positions of theaccommodating recesses 14 of the workpiece carrier 10 according to FIG.1 substantially overlap with support surfaces 22 of the workpiececarrier according to FIG. 2.

Accordingly, if workpiece carriers 10 are stacked on one another intheir first configuration, in which the workpiece carriers 10 areoriented in the same way, downward pointing protrusions 20 at a bottomside of an upper workpiece carrier 10′ will engage with theaccommodating recesses 14 of a lower workpiece carrier 10 stackedunderneath as shown for example in FIG. 4.

Since the accommodating recesses 14 comprise a downward extendingtapered pocket hole, mutual engagement of protrusions 20 and recesses 14is preferably delimited in order to facilitate disassembling of a stackof workpiece carriers. For this purpose, the workpiece carrier 10comprises an outward extending flange portion 30 at an upper end sectionof its surrounding edge 16. Additionally, the edge 16 comprises at leastone outwardly extending projection 36 having an inward directed ledge 38at its lower end.

In a stacked configuration as shown in FIG. 4, the lower and inwarddirected ledge 38 extending inwardly from an outwardly protrudingprojection 26 of the upper workpiece carrier 10′ buts against theoutwardly extending flange portion 30 of the lower workpiece carrier 10in vertical direction. In this way, nested arrangement of upper andlower workpiece carriers 10′, 10 can be confined. The projection 26 withits laterally extending ledge 38 is provided at opposite side edges 32,34 of the carrier. They further correspond with the projections 36disposed at side edges interconnecting left and right side edges 32 and34.

The horizontally extending ledge 38 disposed at the lower end of theprojection 26 extends into a substantially vertically and downwardextending side edge portion 29, which in turn extends to the outermostprotrusion 20 via a bevelled side face portion 28.

By way of the bevelled side face 28, a mutual stacking and aligning of amultiplicity of workpiece carriers in the lateral plane (x, y) can besimplified. However, in alternative embodiment the slanted side faceportion 28 can also be replaced by another substantially horizontallyextending side wall portion, being not further illustrated here.

Turning the upper workpiece carrier 10′ by 180°, such that thecorrugated or undulated side wall 32 of the upper workpiece carrier 10′faces towards the opposite side wall section 34 of a lower workpiececarrier 10, another, second nested configuration as illustrated in FIGS.5 and 6 can be attained. As illustrated there, the lower free endsections 24 of downward pointing protrusions 20 of accommodatingrecesses 14 of the upper workpiece 10′ but against corresponding supportsurfaces 22 of the lower workpiece carrier 10.

This way, the effective volume of the recesses 14 is enlarged in anupward direction by the interstices 46 formed between the downwarddirected protrusions 20 of the upper workpiece 10′. As furtherillustrated in FIG. 5, the accommodating recess 14 of the lowerworkpiece carrier 10 and the corresponding interstices at the bottom ofthe upper workpiece carrier 10′ form a combined receptacle for asub-assembly 42 of the drug delivery device.

In FIG. 6, a corresponding nested and stacked arrangement of a lower andan upper workpiece carrier 10, 10′ is illustrated. Here, theaccommodating recesses 14 are partially populated with a cartridgeholder sub-assembly 44 of the drug delivery device further comprisingthe cartridge being filled with the medicament.

The undulations 18, 19 of the surrounding edge 16 are best illustratedin FIG. 3. The undulations 18, 19 are designed such, that an outwardlyprotruding undulating portion 18 always matches with an undulatingrecess 19 irrespective on the mutual orientation of workpiece carriersin the lateral plane (x, y). By way of the undulations, empty workpiececarriers can be stacked on one another in a well-defined way.

It is to be noted, that for reasons of simplicity FIG. 3 only reflectsan outer portion of the array 12 of accommodating recesses 14, that beevenly distributed over the entire plane (x, y) of the array 12. In FIG.3 also the outward extending flange 30 is shown being interrupted byfour gripping recesses 40 that allow to selectively grip one of aplurality of workpiece carriers disposed next to each other even whentheir outer flanges 30 are in direct contact with each other.

1. Workpiece carrier for transporting and/or storing components of adrug delivery device, comprising: an array of accommodating recessesextending in a first lateral plane (x, y) and being adapted to receiveat least one component of the drug delivery device, at least one stackforming structure adapted to mate with a corresponding stack formingstructure of another workpiece carrier for mutually aligning workpiececarriers when stacked on one another, wherein the center of the at leastone stack forming structure is arranged laterally offset with respect tothe center of the array of accommodating recesses in at least onelateral direction (x, y), and wherein the stack forming structureextends in a direction of the surface normal (z) of the plane of thearray of accommodating recesses and comprises a surrounding edge forminga lateral border of the workpiece carrier and having a left side wallsection and a right side wall section both of corrugated or undulatedstructure and wherein an inward side wall section of a first workpiececarrier receives an outer side wall section of a correspondingsurrounding edge of a second and identical workpiece carrier to bestacked thereon, and wherein the stack forming structure is adapted toenable stacking of a first and second workpiece carriers in at least twodifferent configurations, wherein in a first configuration first andsecond workpiece carriers are oriented in the same way and wherein in asecond configuration the second workpiece carrier is rotated withrespect to the first workpiece carrier in the lateral plane (x, y) isrotated by 90° or 180°.
 2. Workpiece carrier according to claim 1,wherein an outwardly protruding undulating structure of the firstworkpiece carrier always engages with a recessed undulating structure ofthe second workpiece carrier when in the first and when in the secondconfiguration.
 3. Workpiece carrier according to claim 1, wherein thelateral offset of stack forming structure and array equals half thedistance of adjacently arranged accommodating recesses.
 4. Workpiececarrier according to claim 1, wherein the stack forming structure andthe array are arranged laterally offset in both transverse directions(x, y).
 5. Workpiece carrier according to claim 1, wherein each of theaccommodating recesses comprises a tapered pocket hole forming aprotrusion at a bottom side of the workpiece carrier.
 6. Workpiececarrier according to claim 5, wherein the array of accommodatingrecesses is adapted to receive an array of corresponding protrusions ofanother workpiece carrier stacked thereon in a first orientation. 7.Workpiece carrier according to any one of the preceding claims 5,wherein the array comprises support surfaces arranged between adjacentlylocated accommodating recesses and being adapted to serve as a supportfor corresponding protrusions of another workpiece carrier stackedthereon in a second orientation.
 8. Workpiece carrier according to anyone of the preceding claims 6, wherein first and second orientations aretransferable into each other by a rotation of the workpiece carrier by180° in the lateral plane (x, y).
 9. Workpiece carrier according toclaim 1, wherein the surrounding edge at its upper end at least insections comprises an outward extending flange portion.
 10. Workpiececarrier according to claim 9, wherein the flange portion entirelysurrounds the surrounding edge and comprises at least two grippingrecesses.
 11. Workpiece carrier according to claim 1, wherein the stackforming structure comprises at least one outwardly extending projectionhaving an inward directed ledge at its lower end adapted to but againsta flange portion of another workpiece carrier stacked beneath in thefirst orientation.
 12. Workpiece carrier according to claim 1,comprising at least one sub-assembly of a drug delivery device, whereinthe sub-assembly comprises a housing component of the drug deliverydevice accommodating a cartridge sealed by a movable piston andcontaining a medicament to be dispensed by the drug delivery device. 13.Workpiece carrier assembly comprising at least a first and a secondworkpiece carrier according to claim 1, wherein first and secondworkpiece carriers are stackable on one another in at least twodifferent orientations with different stack height.
 14. Method fortransporting and/or storing numerous sub-assemblies for drug deliverydevices by making use of at least two workpiece carriers according toclaim 1, wherein empty workpiece carriers are stacked on one another ina first configuration in which the workpiece carriers are oriented thesame way and wherein workpiece carriers equipped with numeroussub-assemblies of the drug delivery device are stacked on one another ina second configuration by rotating every second workpiece carrier of astack by 180° with its surface normal as axis of rotation.